i would agree. whatever condition an old gun is in, i think it should just be cleaned and preserved. i feel like there is a notch in history for a gun in any condition. some collectors have to have a perfect example, but many more would be perfectly happy with a legitimate well-worn example.

the other aspect of a refinish is what happens with the gun in the future. you, as the current owner may be perfectly happy to restore or refinish an old gun for your use, but what about the 3rd owner in the future? who is to say he won't try to pass it off as original (like the other hot topic in this forum at the moment!) i realize that it really probably isn't the "restoring" owner's problem, but it can definitely create some unrest down the road.

i can see where, at some point, for some reason, i might be tempted to restore some gun in the future, but at the present, i will just have to sit quietly in "don't restore/refinish" camp!